A Seat at the Table with Debbie Brown

The Future of Skilled Labor and Apprenticeships featuring David Scott

David Scott is the Construction Industry Advocate at Encore Electric, where he helps the company continue to grow within the Rocky Mountain West. During his years at Encore Electric, Scott has helped to reshape the Human Resources Department to fit the company’s expanding needs. His emphasis on a culture that focuses on teamwork, collaboration and ethics, and that rewards success, has placed Encore Electric among the top electrical contracting firms in Colorado. His extensive leadership and apprenticeship training programs support the company’s long-term growth goals and incorporate knowledge gained over his 23 years in a wide variety of industries and disciplines within Human Resources.

On this episode of A Seat at the Table, David discusses his fierce advocacy for the skilled trades, talks at length about Encore's unique apprenticeship program, and he and Debbie go in depth about the future of both education and labor. 

Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. 

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For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.

The Impressive Colorado Footprint of Chevron featuring Kim McHugh

Kim McHugh is a second-generation driller who grew up in the industry, oversees Chevron’s exploration and production activities in the Colorado DJ Basin and on the Western Slope as the Vice President, Rockies Business Unit. Chevron has 327,000 net acres (1,323 sq km) in Colorado’s DJ Basin In 2020, net daily oil-equivalent production was 148,000 barrels, composed of 98,000 barrels of liquids and 301 million cubic feet of natural gas (a combined 36,000 barrels of oil-equivalent attributable to Chevron in 2020).

On this episode of A Seat at the Table, Kim shares her remarkable journey through the energy industry that led her ultimately to Colorado. She and Debbie discuss the challenges and opportunities of doing business in Colorado, working as a woman in a male-dominated industry, the present and future of energy, and much more. Kim is a thoughtful, effective leader whose insights on a wide variety of topics are incisive, vital, and nuanced. 

Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. 

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For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.

Talking Higher Ed with Colorado Mesa University President John Marshall

John Marshall is the 11th president of Colorado Mesa University (CMU), a mid-sized comprehensive public university in Grand Junction, Colorado. He also serves as an instructor in CMU’s early start programs and as a lecturer of political science. Prior to his current role, Mr. Marshall served as the vice president for student services where he was responsible for enrollment management and student affairs, which included leading the Admissions Office, University Center, Residence Life, Financial Aid, Student Life, International Student Programs, student health clinic services, student mental health services, diversity and advocacy, and campus safety/police.

On this episode of A Seat at the Table, John talks about his unique career journey that saw him as an undergraduate student at Colorado Mesa University, and now sees him leading the institution. He talks about the critiques of higher education, where he sets Colorado Mesa apart, the future of higher ed, and how to engage with the workforce needs of today and tomorrow. 

Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. 

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For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.

True Alignment featuring Edgar Papke

Edgar Papke is a business & leadership psychologist, a best-selling author, an award-winning speaker, a teacher, coach, and consultant. He is globally recognized for his pioneering work in the science and art of alignment. His  purpose is helping people align and live better lives. He works worldwide with organizations,  governments, teams, and leaders to achieve greater levels of innovation, success, and  fulfillment. He is the bestselling author of the books True Alignment and The Elephant in The Boardroom, and coauthor of the Amazon bestseller Innovation by Design, a Soundview Business Book of the Year. 

On this episode of A Seat at the Table with Debbie Brown, Edgar shares his professional journey, the insights he's gained along the way, and discusses at length the importance of personal, professional, and organizational alignment. His insights are unique and should prove useful to businesses and leaders of all stripes as they navigate their professional lives. 

Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. 

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For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.

Betting on the Future of Denver featuring Kenneth Monfort

Kenneth Monfort is a fifth-generation Colorado business owner committed to enriching the lives of all Coloradans. As owner and EVP of Monfort Companies, Kenneth invests in ventures and develops commercial properties that serve as economic drivers and growth engines for both rural and urban communities. Born in Greeley, Kenneth has deep roots in Colorado and is committed to building a next-generation company that honors his family’s legacy in agriculture, real estate and energy.

On this episode of A Seat at the Table with Debbie Brown, Kenneth shares his personal journey and discusses his roots in Northern Colorado in the cattle business. He also discusses his work in real estate and investing and why he's optimistic about the future of Denver. Kenneth is a thoughtful, insightful leader whose Colorado roots run deep, which he has channeled into a multitude of successful business ventures. 

Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. 

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For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.

Chris Schmidt, Managing Partner of Deloitte Returns

Chris is the managing partner for the Denver office at Deloitte Consulting LLP. He is responsible for driving client and business growth, facilitating cross-functional teaming, and further enhancing strategic positioning in the Denver market. In his more than 20-year career with Deloitte, he has seen the Colorado practice grow from 200 professionals to over 1,300 across four offices.

Chris is also former Chair of the Colorado Business Roundtable. On this week's episode, Chris shares his professional journey, provides insights into the work of Deloitte, how the company has adapted to new issues like artificial intelligence, and provides an outlook for the coming years.

Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. 

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For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.

English Learning as a Workforce Skill featuring EnGen's Katie Brown

Katie Brown is Founder and Chief Learning Officer of EnGen, a skills-focused, virtual English language learning platform for organizations and employers working with limited English proficient employees. Katie holds a PhD in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) and over twenty years of experience in applied language research. EnGen is her brainchild.

On this episode of A Seat at the Table with Debbie Brown, Katie shares her experience from all over the world of teaching adult learners English. She discusses why so many English learning programs fail here in the United States, what COVID taught us about online learning, why English is a workforce skill, how dual language speakers have a superpower and much more. This is a conversation not to be missed as Katie's unparalleled experience and insight gives her unique perspective into the workforce needs of today and tomorrow.

Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown.

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For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.

The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade featuring Eve Lieberman

Eve Lieberman is the Executive Director of The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) creates a positive business climate that encourages dynamic economic development and sustainable job growth. We advance the state’s economy through financial and technical programs under the leadership of the Governor and Executive Director. Their mission is to empower all to thrive in Colorado's economy.

On this episode of A Seat at the Table, Eve discusses her own personal journey which started in Washington, DC where she worked for then Representative Jared Polis and then compelled her to relocate to Colorado to work under the now Governor. She talks about what draws her to work in government and politics, the work of OEDIT, her successes, how she views the future and much more. 

Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown.

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For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.

Eve Lieberman was appointed by the Governor to serve as the Executive Director of the Office of Economic Development and International Trade on January 2nd, 2023. Prior to that, she had served as the Chief Policy Advisor and Legislative Counsel for Governor Jared Polis for all four years of his first term. She managed the legislative policy and federal affairs teams and oversaw many successful Governor priorities, including the passage of Free Full Day Kindergarten, the implementation of universal preschool, historic investments in transportation, and economic recovery programs. 

The Enabler-In-Chief, RevGen's Kirk Mielenz

Kirk Mielenz is co-founder and the CEO of RevGen Partners, a Colorado-headquartered business and technology
consulting firm. As CEO, Kirk views his role primarily as “enabler-in-chief” providing the vision, direction,
resources, and trust to empower people – employees, clients, and the broader community. In 2008, Kirk and his fellow co-founders took a leap of faith and embarked on a journey to build RevGen, a professional services firm that that would enable its clients, people, and community in new and significant ways.

On this episode of A Seat at the Table, Kirk discusses everything from new developments in AI to uncovering hidden biases in business to the importance of engaging with policymakers and helping them understand hidden impacts to business as they craft well-intentioned policies. Kirk is a thoughtful, engaging leader whose entrepreneurial drive has emboldened him to serve his business, his clients, and his community. 

Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown.

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For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.

How To Support New Migrants featuring Diana Higuera

Diana Higuera is the Executive Director and founder of the Rocky Mountain Welcome Center, a not-for-profit organization with the mission of fostering intercultural learning, understanding and integration among immigrants, refugees and the Colorado residents, where she oversees all aspects of the development of the center. Prior to founding the Rocky Mountain Welcome Center, Diana was the Executive Director of the Aurora Welcome Center, leading the merger of AWC. In addition, she is responsible for the development of the award-winning Natural Helpers program in partnership with the City of Aurora.

On this episode of A Seat at the Table, Diana shares her own personal story that led her to this role. She also discusses the challenges faced by migrants and refugees and what to do about it, including providing workforce training and authorizations to work. As someone on the front lines of the issue, she shares her unique insights and discusses the issue with nuance, depth, and sophistication. 

Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown.

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For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.